| 摘要 |
Air is compressed in a compressor 4 and is separated in an air separation plant 2, typically employing a double distillation column, into oxygen and nitrogen product streams. The oxygen stream is used in a plant 6 which may be of a kind in which a partial oxidation reaction is performed. The nitrogen stream at a pressure of at least 5 atmospheres, and preferably at least 10 atmospheres, is heated to a temperature of at least 700 DEG C, and preferably at least 1000 DEG C, by heat exchange in a heat exchanger 14. Heating for the heat exchanger 14 is provided by a hot gaseous stream from the plant 6 in which the oxygen is used. The hot compressed nitrogen stream leaving the heat exchanger 14 is expanded in an expansion turbine 18 with the performance of external work (typically the generation of electrical power). |
